When was the last time we had a good centre midfielder?!

[andyst79]

Other than Ben Whiteman

[donnievic]

Herbie kane

[Chris Black come back]

Ben Sheaf.

[In the box]

Other than Ben Whiteman

We’ve never got over James Coppinger retiring!!

[drfchound]

Other than Ben Whiteman

We’ve never got over James Coppinger retiring!!

Our ball retention at throw ins had certainly got much worse since Copps retired.

[BigH]

Other than Ben Whiteman

We’ve never got over James Coppinger retiring!!

something in that

[Lesonthewest]

Other than Ben Whiteman

We’ve never got over James Coppinger retiring!!

Our ball retention at throw ins had certainly got much worse since Copps retired.

Noticed this again yesterday, almost everytime County had a throw in it was thrown to a man in space, I can remember only once us finding a player to throw to in space. McCann touched on this a few weeks ago saying it's not acceptable, it hasn't changed.

[Sulphurite]

You seem desperate to throw it into a 50/50 header rather than an easy option.

[DonnyOsmond]

Bostock was a decent central midfielder, he just needed pairing with a player that complimented his abilities.

With the Copps thing, we spent a few years not replacing creativity. In the year Copps retired we had him and Taylor Richards creating chances. Since then we've had Tomlin for 5 mins and that's about it. Westbrooke isn't bad tbf but I genuinely thought it'd be a first signing for McCann, to bring in someone on the wing like he had with Coppinger on the left of his front 3.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Other than Ben Whiteman

We’ve never got over James Coppinger retiring!!

Our ball retention at throw ins had certainly got much worse since Copps retired.

Noticed this again yesterday, almost everytime County had a throw in it was thrown to a man in space, I can remember only once us finding a player to throw to in space. McCann toiched on this a few weeks ago saying it's not acceptable, it hasn't changed.

We've been like that ever since Coppinger retired. It's such a basic thing but we have never addressed it. It's like we say to the players "make it up on the hoof".

And if we let Sotona EVER take another throw in! He did a shocking foul throw that led to Newport's 4th goal. Then yesterday, he threw a ball back to Notts C after an injury break and I swear he let go of it below his waist.

[Juddy]

Far too late now but Copps could have done one season in lowly league 2 surely ?

[TheFunk]

I don't think Copps would have been prepared to play another season for free or expenses.

[Chris Black come back]

What’s notable is how much not getting promoted, or more realistically, getting relegated costs us. If we had been in Championship a few years ago we could have had Kane, Wilks, Whiteman, Sheaf, Marquis, likely others I have forgotten also, in our squad. We might well still have struggled but we would have had saleable assets.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

We've had some good midfielders recently but the combinations have been the issue. The loans Galbraith, Matt Smiths v 1 & 2, even Charlie Lakin before you come onto Bostock and Clayton.

As said above, Whiteman was at his best with Sheaf and Kane.

Successive managers have struggled to find the right combinations and been hampered with long term injuries. With constant chopping and changing  we've been found wanting.

[Chris Black come back]

Matt Smith v1 was superb and is now somehow turning out for St Johnstone, who have gates materially smaller than ours.

[scawsby steve]

With 2 loan spots still left, the priority must surely be to bring in another midfielder, or maybe even two.

[RoversInSpain]

Notts County players took responsibility and wanted the ball knowing where their team mates were and had a way to play. Very few of our guys wanted responsibility all over the pitch but especially in defence where they just looked at each other asking ‘where did he come from?’
I’m hoping most of this is because they don’t know each other’s game enough currently and are hesitant/meak/mild and wanting someone else to take the lead. Who is or are those player/s that will emerge and be the driving force? Once those players are formed we will move forward.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

With 2 loan spots still left, the priority must surely be to bring in another midfielder, or maybe even two.

Well, if McCann can justify it on the basis of being uncertain about the return of Close and Biggins before the window closes, then it might be possible. There could be a risk he finds himself in Wellens trap and I'm sure the board don't want that to happen. Of course, there are others who he'd like to offload, and then there's the Everton income to throw into the mix, so you'd hope there's some wriggle room.

[Lesonthewest]

What's Charlie Lakin doing, is he starting games, he would improve our midfield no end, better than what we have.

[Chris Black come back]

We are very badly missing muscularity and physicality in midfield, the energy and presence to dominate midfield battles for 90 minutes. Lakin was a useful terrier but not what we need. Although what we can get is something different.

[Lesonthewest]

We are very badly missing muscularity and physicality in midfield, the energy and presence to dominate midfield battles for 90 minutes. Lakin was a useful terrier but not what we need. Although what we can get is something different.

I believe he would link up play & get around the opposition far better than what we have. In the short time they played together I thought he & Close developed a decent understanding, the game at Sutton last season springs to mind.

[sedwardsdrfc]

What’s happened to Close? Assume injury but do we have an idea when he’s back?

Feel like we had a full squad other than Anderson all preseason then the moment a ball is kicked in anger we’ve a load out!

[BillyStubbsTears]

We are very badly missing muscularity and physicality in midfield, the energy and presence to dominate midfield battles for 90 minutes. Lakin was a useful terrier but not what we need. Although what we can get is something different.

I believe he would link up play & get around the opposition far better than what we have. In the short time they played together I thought he & Close developed a decent understanding, the game at Sutton last season springs to mind.

Careful. You're getting disturbingly near to hinting that Schofield didn't f**k up every single thing he touched. I'm not sure that's allowed here.

[roversdude]

We are very badly missing muscularity and physicality in midfield, the energy and presence to dominate midfield battles for 90 minutes. Lakin was a useful terrier but not what we need. Although what we can get is something different.

I believe he would link up play & get around the opposition far better than what we have. In the short time they played together I thought he & Close developed a decent understanding, the game at Sutton last season springs to mind.

The game at Sutton where we did naff all ??

I liked Lakin but not at all convinced with Close

[Lesonthewest]

We are very badly missing muscularity and physicality in midfield, the energy and presence to dominate midfield battles for 90 minutes. Lakin was a useful terrier but not what we need. Although what we can get is something different.

I believe he would link up play & get around the opposition far better than what we have. In the short time they played together I thought he & Close developed a decent understanding, the game at Sutton last season springs to mind.

The game at Sutton where we did naff all ??

I liked Lakin but not at all convinced with Close

I'm talking about 2 players having an understanding, not the whole team.

[Goole Rover]

What’s notable is how much not getting promoted, or more realistically, getting relegated costs us. If we had been in Championship a few years ago we could have had Kane, Wilks, Whiteman, Sheaf, Marquis, likely others I have forgotten also, in our squad. We might well still have struggled but we would have had saleable assets.

Don’t kid yourself Marquis wouldn’t have hacked it in The Championship.

[Sammy Chung was King]

In this league you need a mix of technique and physicality, we fail in a lot of games because we lack the latter.

[scawsby steve]

What’s notable is how much not getting promoted, or more realistically, getting relegated costs us. If we had been in Championship a few years ago we could have had Kane, Wilks, Whiteman, Sheaf, Marquis, likely others I have forgotten also, in our squad. We might well still have struggled but we would have had saleable assets.

Don’t kid yourself Marquis wouldn’t have hacked it in The Championship.

He didn't say he would. He said he, along with the others, would have been a saleable asset, which he would have been.

What is it with you and Marquis? Isn't 60 odd goals in 3 seasons enough for you, or do you prefer the likes of Cukur, Dodoo, and Hiwula?

[Bessie Red]

Jordan Houghton was decent!

[The Beast]

John Bostock looked like a player on Saturday, with competence around him anyway, didn’t have the luxury in his time here.